Visible index



; Feb. 23,1926. 1,574,523

H. A. VAN I- IOUTEN I VI-SIBLE INDEX Filed Jun s, 1925 DE POSIT BALANCE Accoum' No TRA'L [in 7 HENRY A. van nou'rnn, on

PATENT OFFICE.

NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

vrsmrfi INDEX.

Application-filed June 3, 1925. Serial No. 34,506.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. VA HOUTEN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of New Rochelle, in the county of VVestchester and State of New York have invented new and useful Improvements in Visible Indexes, of which the following is a specification. Thls invention relates to indexes or files, .and it has particular reference to a visible index comprising a plurality of record cards which, .normally,' are held in overlapped relation so that only the marginal portions thereof are exposed to view. The invention also has special reference to a system of this kind in which each card is held flatwise on a support, preferably the ordinary filing folder, by a tongue or tongues on-the card, which tongues are outwardly directed and are so constructed and applied as to provide an interlocking feature which insures uniform visibility.

A further object is to slidably secure the cards to the folder by means of outwardly directed tongues positioned near the ex treme edges of such cards, so that there- 'sistance of the card to tearing when reference. is made thereto or notations are made thereon and the flexing of the card without danger of tearing off the tongues is facilitated.

A further object of my invention is to provide a visible filing system that can be manufactured with the minimum of ,expense and simplicity and also making 'possible its use in the oflices of concerns maintaining record cards numbering into the millions at a minimum of expense for new equipment for filing the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a visible filing system whereby only two members are used,v namely, a support and cards, which result in the cards being mounted upon said support in such a manneras to allow an absolutely flat support for the writing surface on the cards without necessitating the removal of-same from the support when it is desired to make notations thereon.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means whereby only two members need be used, namely, an ordinary cor res ondenoe filing folder orother size filing fol er and cards.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a flexible filing system whereby file such as four-drawer filing cabinets, tub

desks, or other filing devices and rolled up either one way or another leaving the cards intact in visible relation.

WVit-hthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of one of the index elements or cards,

Fig. 2. 's an end view of the card shown in Fig. 1, 7

' Fig. 3 is a front view of a series of cards such as shown in Fig. I mounted upon one leaf of a folder,

Fig. t is a back View of the cards and folder shown in Fig. 3 and Fig, is a view of the card similan rto that shown in Fig. 2 but showing a mtidification "oftheiindieating element.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates an engaging the narrow slits 4 formed in the folder 5 shown in Fig. 3. The tongues 2 are separately formed and widely spaced so as not to weaken thecard further than is absolutely necessary as well as to facilitate the flexing of the card with respect to the folder without danger of tearing or shearingofi' the tongues when it is desired to insert a card in the. support or remove the same therefromj By forming the engaging portions 3 outwardly directed, the card is supported at widely separated points by the entire areas immediately adjacent the base of the tongues, so that any turningniovement with relation to the folder is eliminated.

The card 1 is also provided with a horizontal slot 6 extending almost across the entire length of the card and in close proximity to' the top of the card. A'n indicator 7, preferably of celluloid, extends through the narrow Slit 6 and. over the top'of the v card so as to form a band slidable along the top portion of the card as shown in Figs; 1 and 2. An aperture 8 may be provided in the front portion of the indicator 7 so that the notations 9 upon the upper portion of the card may be visible therethrough.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is illustrated the method by which ,a plurality of cards are mounted upon an ordinary folder. As mentioned above, parallel slots 4 are provided in one leaf of the folder or other support. The engaging portions 3 of the tongues 2 are bent backward and engage in the slots 4 for supporting the card 1; A second card is inserted above the first card-mounted upon the folder and thedownward movement of the; second card is limited by the tongues of the first card as shown in Fig. 3. In this manner a series of cards can be mounted: upon the folder 5 in such manner that the upper portion of each card overlaps the preceding card, rendering the upper portions of all the cards visible to the user.

lYhile I have illustrated a slotted folder for:supporting a'series of cards in the manner herein described, there may be certain installations in which it would be preferable to support one or more master cards in a folder or other support in the same manner above described as each card is supported, and each master card would in turn be vertically slitted to receive a series of cards in the manner that such series is supported herein by the'folder. In some cases also the master card carrying the series of cards may be filed without being mounted in a folder or on another support.

Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the invention above set forth without departing from the real purpose and spirit thereof, and it is the intention to cover by the following claims. any modified forms of. structure or use of equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

' As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 slits 4 in the supports are of just suflicient width to receive the tongues of the cards to be filed and corre spond substantially to the thickness of the material of the cards 1, although obviously the same maybe a little narrower than the thickness of the material of the cards 1 or a trifle wider, but they should not be of such awidth as to prevent the support serving as a substantially continuous surface to support the card in a flat plane when it is desired to make notations thereon without removing the same from the support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to'obtain by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In an index or file, a support having narrow slits in substantial parallelism with each other, cards adapted to be mounted upon said support in overlapped relation, tongues separately formed and widely spaced upon said cards within the periphery of each card and including portions outwardly directed towards the sides of said card for engaging the narrow slits in said support whereby the flexing of said card without danger of tearing off the tongues is facilitated.

2. In an index or file, a support having narrow slits terminating intermediate the.

top and bottom respectively of said support, cards adapted to be mounted upon said support ingoverlapped relation, tongues separately foimedfand widely spaced upon said cards and "disposed within the periphery of each card and including outwardly directed portions for engaging said narrow slits whereby the flexing of said card without danger of tearing off the tongues is facilitated, said silts being of insufficient width to prevent the support from serving as a continuous supporting surface for the card when the same is mounted therein and it is desired to make notations thereon, and the entire surface of a support lying substantially in but a single plane when the card is mounted thereon.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this first day of June,

HENRY A. VAN HOUTEN. 

